outstanding diplomacy and capacity to balance the risks and demand of piece and the sort of okay security environment of the cold war period, which perhaps most people to remember, but perhaps some do not. so before turning the program over to marvin though, i would just like to mention, we have a new book that is very pertinent to the subject in our book series, the reagan gorbachev arms control breakthrough, edited by david t. jones, and dedicated to ambassador, the late ambassador who was the principal inf treaty negotiator and leader of our inf delegation. and copies of this book are available at the back of the room for those of you who would like to purchase one afterwards. so without further ado, it's my pleasure to wish all happy holidays and to turn the program over to marvin. marvin? >> thank you very much, susan. is always a pleasure to be asked to come here, moderate a panel. my life has been absorbed with the foreign service. though i only work in the foreign service for a year and a half. 1956-seven, in moscow. but since that time, albeit in different ways. as a look at how he now i see